ALthough it is euidentlye sene and iudged vpon, not onely by the naturall borne sub­iectes of the Crowne of Englande: but also by manye straungers in all partes of Christendome, howe many and great occasions haue ben geuen nowe of late tyme, and so continued by the Frenche, aswell to doubte and feare theyr inuasion of this Realme, chiefely by the way of Scotlande, as also to apply with all spede, conueni­ent power to withstande the same. specially to wardes Scotlande: yet the Quenes moste excellent Maiestie, consyderyng that there may be diuersitie of opinions con­ceaued of hir proceadynges in this behalfe, hath thought mete briefely and playnely to notifie hir Maiesties certayne purpose and intent, with the iuste occasions geuen [...]herof.

fyrst hir Maiestie of hir good and gracious nature is content to thynke that the iniurious pretence made by the Quene of Scotlande to this Realme so many maner of wayes, hath ben bred and issued onely out of the hartes of [...]he principalles of the house of Guise, to whom the chiefe gouernaunce of the crowne of Fraunce now of late hath [...]appened, and that nether the Frenche kyng, beyng by reason of his younge yeares not so capable of such an enter­ [...]ryse, nor the Quene of Scottes his wyfe beynge also in hir minoritie, nor yet the princes of the bloude royall, and [...]ther e [...]tates of Fraunce (to whom heretofore in auncient tyme, the gouernaunce of thaffayres of that realme in [...]he kynges minoritie hath belonged) haue imagined and intended of them selues such an vniuste, vnprobable, and [...]o daungerous an enterpryse and attempte as this is, and appeareth to be to all indifferent men.

And consyderyng the sayde house of Guise, for theyr owne priuate aduancement, hauynge no other meane to practyse the same, but by exaltyng of theyr nece the Quene of Scottes, in whose respect they intermeddle with the gouernaunce of Fraunce at this present, haue thus iniuriously and insolently set forth, and in tyme of peace conti­ [...]ued in publyke places, the armes and clayme of these kyngdomes of Englande and Irelande, in the name of their [...]ece the Quene, besyde other notable reproches, and that (as it is by dyuerse, and so very lykely reported) without [...]haduice of the prynces of the kynges bloud, and other greate personages, or of the sage and longe experimented [...]ouncellours of that kyngdome: and for the prosecution of this theyr vniust and ambicious purpose, haue also vsed [...]he aucthoritie of the kyng and Quene theyr nece (beyng vnnatural for hir) to enterpryse the euiction of the crowne of Scotlande, out of the power of the natural people of the lande, and thereby to proceade with such force, as vnder [...]hat colour they haue already partely, and partely hereafter meane to sende thyther to inuade this kyngedome of Englande: which although they haue caused to be vniustly and dishonourablye claymed so manye wayes by theyr [...]ece: yet they well knowe that otherwyse than by the way of Scotlande they can neuer effectually, accordynge to theyr desyres offende with any euident daunger. Therfore hir Maiestie hauyng had the taste in many calamities of Gods singuler goodnes, and knowyng the iustyce of hir cause, and the naturall obeysaunce and loue of hir true [...]ubiectes, and takyng these insolent attemptes to be but thabuse of the sayde house of Guise, duryng the minoritie of the Kyng and Quene, without any consent of the greater states of Fraunce, and being most desirous of hir owne nature and iudgement to kepe peace with all Princes, and (euen in this harde tyme of dealyng) also with the king­ [...]ome of Fraunce and Scotlande, and with all the subiectes therof: Doth geue to vnderstande to all maner of peo­ [...]le, that although hir Maiestie hath ben forced to put in order to hir great charges, certayne force both by sea and [...]ande, for the safegarde of hir kyngdome, beyng thus impeched and challenged by woordes, and so approched with [...]orce, & manassed with much greater from day to day: yet hir Maiestie meaneth not, nor intendeth any maner cru­eltie, hostilitie or warre, but onely seketh and wysheth, and so hath dyuers tymes playnely and frendly requyred of the Cardynall of Lorrayn and his brother, & by meanes of them, of the French kyng also, that these insolent tytles and claymes myght cease & be reuoked, and that there myght be such a quiete and naturall gouernaunce graunted [Page] to the people of Scotland, that they myghte [...] in theyr due obedience to theyr soueraigne Lady (which they offer) without further oppression and feare of conquest, and consequently that the men of warre of Fraunce in Scotland myght be reuoked, beyng by reason of the former proceadynges of Fraunce, in theyr claymes against this kingdom ouer daungerous to be suffered so nygh Englande. And for the more spede therin, it hath ben offred that they shuld also haue safeconducte by water or by lande, or by both, with all fauour and suertie that myght be shewed or deuy­sed for their departure, and accordyng to theyr ceassyng from armes, hir Maiesties power by sea and lande, shoulde also at one instaunt accordyngly ceasse and be ceassed, and therby all vnkyndnesse to be buryed and forgotten, and a stable peace made.

To whiche godly, reasonable, and honorable sundry requestes: hir maiestie can by no meanes get any sufficient aunswere, although much tyme hath bene herein spent, to hir maiesties excessiue charges, and to the manyfest de­lay of concorde.

And finally hir maiestie declareth, that she doth and wyll kepe, and continue good peace with the kyngdome of Fraunce, and the kyngdome of Scotlande as longe as no playne inuasion shalbe made by anye of them vpon hyr countries, dominions or people, and will procure by all good and faire meanes that concorde may be had in Scot­lande, and the frenchmen of warre that will withstande the same, may depart thence without harme, and in suer­tye, and if they wil not, then hir maiestie must of necessitie after al these other good meanes vsed, and after al these delayes made by Fraunce, attempt to compel them to depart thence, and otherwise to shewe no extremitie nor vio­lence to any maner person of Fraunce or Scotlande.

And therfore hir maiestie straytly chargeth al maner hir subiectes, of what estate so euer they be, that they shall vse with fauour and frendship, all the french kinges subiectes, and shal permit them to traffique al trades of mar­chaundise within this realme, in such sort as in tymes of best peace hath ben, & ought to be vsed, except they shalbe prouoked by any hostilitie of any of the part of Fraunce to defend them selues, or their countrey, And like wise that all hir maiesties subiectes shall vse good and honorable speache of the kyngdome and nation of Fraunce, and al­though these late intollerable iniuries, haue bene committed in Fraunce agaynst this crowne of England: yet to iudge therof no otherwyse then hir maiestie of hir good nature is pleased to thynke and iudge.

And finally they shal make no other preparations to warre but only such as maye serue for the defence of suche wronges or attemptes, as percase shall be made contrary to hir maiesties expectacion vpon thys realme by the french vpon the further instigation of the said house of Guise, hauing in theyr handes the principal gouernaunce of the king and quene, vntyll it shall further appeare whether the sayde kyngdome and nation of Fraunce shall meane any further playne inuasion of this realme, and so hir maiesties present opinion be misconceyued. Wherof although hir maiestie would be very sory for the hinderaunce of common peace in christendome which she most fa­uoureth: yet it is not to be doubted, but almyghty god shall assiste the power of thys kyngdome to escape all suche daunger, and honorably as case shall require to auenge it selfe.

And for better intelligence herof to al maner of persons: Her maiestie hath willed this to be proclamed in Eng­lyshe & Frenche, that although the same haue bene specially declared to the french kynge and to the said princy­palles of Guise in Fraunce, and also to the dowagre Quene in Scotlande, and to all the ambassadours of Fraunce here resident (wherunto no sufficient aunswere can be obteyned): yet it should not be hid from others that percase myght be induced otherwise to thinke or iudge than the very trueth is.

yeuen at hir Maiesties palaice of West­minster the. xxiiii. day of March. M. D. Lix. the seconde yeare of hir Maiesties raigne.